"Sammu-Ramat, more famously known as Semiramis, was the queen regent of the Assyrian Empire
(reigned 811-806 BCE) who held the throne for her young son Adad Nirari
III until he reached maturity. She is also known as Shammuramat or Sammuramat.
She was the wife of Shamshi-Adad V (reigned 823-811 BCE) and, when he
died, she assumed rule until Adad Nirari III came of age, at which time
she passed the throne to him. According to historian Gwendolyn Leick,
“This woman achieved remarkable fame and power in her lifetime and
beyond. According to contemporary records, she had considerable
influence at the Assyrian court”. This would explain how she was
able to maintain the throne after her husband’s death. Women were not
admitted to positions of authority in the Assyrian Empire, and to have a
woman ruler would have been unthinkable unless that particular woman
had enough power to take and hold it."